In honor of the prosperous ‘Year of the Dragon’, CDNIS’ Chinese department organized a series of collaborative artwork pieces. These creations featured in prominent locations such as the spine and the forum allowed for CDNIS’ artistic talents to be showcased to the school population.
Following the theme of the dragon zodiac, students would have encountered the several dragons hoisted around the stairways. From the ninth down to the seventh floor, the pink dragon created by students in the Lower School captured the attention of countless passersby. Individual drawings inspired by the theme of Chinese New Year were placed next to each other to create a long scene of adorable pandas, luscious bamboo forests, dancing dragons, new year lanterns, ‘fai chun’, mandarins, and various delicacies in Chinese cuisine.
Spanning across the stairway leading towards the 6th floor bridge was a yellow dragon composed of tiles. Each tile was hand colored by Transition Years students, who chose to either follow a provided pattern, or create their own tile.
Inspired by the Buddhist drawings found in the Mogao Caves of Dunhuang, China, the tiles were designed intricately, adorned with symbolic drawings. For example, patterns included lotus flowers symbolizing purity, drawings of the Buddha representing religious beliefs, and dragons conveying prosperity.
Meanwhile, a blue dragon created by Upper School students was composed of overlapping paper plates resembling the scales of a dragon. Each plate displayed a different pattern that emulated traditional Chinese porcelain, creating a chain of unique artwork that spiraled down the stairs into the forum.
In addition to the three dragons located along the staircase, other pieces of cultural artwork were displayed around the school. For instance, students in Grade 7 painted drawings in the style of Chinese calligraphy, which were showcased in the Alan Dick Forum. Grade 8 students also used our school’s newly installed kiln to create cultural tiles, with the prospect of celebrating the New Year.
Chinese New Year plays a pivotal role in our school’s annual festivities. Through a schoolwide contribution to the creation of captivating art pieces, a sense of community and cultural appreciation has been fostered, as we eagerly anticipate what the following year of this auspicious celebration will bring.